“Get your Data Structures Correct First; and the Rest of the Program will Write Itself” - David Jones
The given statement points at the significance of paying heed to the question of Data Structures and Algorithms, when it comes to efficient execution of a software development lifecycle. The role of Software Development/Design Engineer in Test (SDET) is a rapidly blooming position within the technology sector.
They are quite often held to be the same as manual testers; however, technically speaking, this is not true. Testing is definitely one of the core job responsibilities of a SDET; however, it is not his only job role.
A SDET happens to embody multiple skills and as such is involved in the development, designing, automation, as well as testing activities of the software lifecycle.
In this blog, we will be looking at the way in which Data Structures and Algorithms are useful for SDETs. Given the fact that Data Structures and Algorithms happen to be the foundational stones of computer science; SDETs are quite directly associated with the handling and management of these entities.
What is SDET?
SDET is the acronym for Software Development/Design Engineer in Test. The position refers to an IT professional who happens to remain engaged, both in the development as well as testing of the software.
These are professionals who are skilled in Software Development as well as Quality Engineering. They not only participate in developing and writing test scripts, but SDET testing also helps in fixing bugs as part of the process.
Thus, they help in replacing repetitive manual testing with automation and are an integral part of the operating systems' lifecycle which includes bug fixes.

What are Data Structures and Algorithms?
Data Structure is essentially a way of organizing data. Data tables and sequences of numbers are instances of Data Structures.
It refers to a system of data management, organization and storage format which provides for easy access to data.
The Data Structure can be understood as a wardrobe with separate racks for storing and sorting things. This helps in efficient organization of data, which can be extracted at any time.
Algorithm can be understood as an instructional blueprint which lays down commands in a sequential manner, to be executed in order to get a desired output. Algorithms can be seen as a linkage between inputs, procedure and outputs.
If Data Structures are static entities, Algorithms are dynamic processes which interact with them in order to produce desired results.
